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The latest iShares debut, as well as details on a new REIT and the latest annuity introductions

New products introduced over the last week include a new online bond center from E*Trade and two new funds from Goldman Sachs; and two new ETFs from iShares.

In addition, Cole Real Estate Investments introduced a new non-listed REIT and Lincoln Financial Group launched a new fixed index annuity in New York.

Here are the latest developments of interest to advisors:

1) E*TRADE Launches New Online Bond Center With BondDesk Resources

E*TRADE Financial Corporation announced Tuesday the launch of the redesigned online Bond Resource Center, which offers graphical charts and a host of tools and search functionality.

Developed by leveraging resources from BondDesk Group LLC, the Bond Resource Center offers such features as interactive relative value charts; simple search, Moody's research; portfolio alerts; strategies and insights; and education, videos and web seminars on bonds and other fixed-income issues.

2) Goldman Sachs Asset Management Launches New Funds

Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. announced Feb. 27 that it has launched the Goldman Sachs Rising Dividend Growth Fund (GSRAAX). Dividend Assets Capital is the subadvisor of the fund, which seeks long-term growth of capital and current income by investing in companies that pay consistent and increasing dividends, and through an allocation to MLPs.

On Feb. 29, the firm announced the launch of the Goldman Sachs Managed Futures Strategy Fund (A shares: GMSAX), which provides investors with an opportunity to invest in a wide range of globally diversified asset classes that GSAM believes can potentially generate absolute returns and reduce risk during prolonged market declines. The fund is offered in class A and class C shares, both with $1,000 minimum initial investments, and also institutional, class R and class IR shares.

William Fallon, portfolio manager, and the Quantitative Investment Strategies (QIS) team draw on more than 20 years of investing experience to seek to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns from market trends.

4) iShares Launches Two New Dividend Equity ETFs

BlackRock, Inc. today announced Feb. 24 that its iShares ETF business has launched two new dividend-focused equity funds designed to access the fast-growing emerging markets and Asia/Pacific developed markets. They are the iShares Emerging Markets Dividend Index Fund (DVYE) and the iShares Asia/Pacific Dividend 30 Index Fund (DVYA).

DVYA is benchmarked to the Dow Jones Asia/Pacific Select Dividend 30 Index, which offers exposure to 30 dividend-paying companies in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand and Singapore, weighted by indicated annual yield. The top sector holdings are financials, consumer services and telecomm.

4) Cole Real Estate Investments Launches New Nonlisted REIT

Cole Real Estate Investments announced Thursday the launch of Cole Credit Property Trust IV, Inc. (CCPT IV), a non-listed REIT, which will seek to invest in commercial real estate in the U.S. with a primary focus on income-producing necessity retail properties that are single-tenant or multi-tenant anchored “power centers” subject to long-term triple-net or double-net leases with national or regional creditworthy tenants.

Up to 250 million shares of common stock are being made available in the primary offering at $10 per share. Additionally, 50 million shares of common stock, pursuant to the dividend reinvestment plan (DRIP), will be offered at $9.50 per share. Shares for individual investors will be made available through registered broker-dealers and their financial representatives. Cole Capital Corporation, a registered broker-dealer affiliated with Cole Real Estate Investments, will be the dealer-manager of the offering and will offer CCPT IV’s shares on a best-efforts basis.

5) Lincoln Financial Group Introduces Fixed Indexed Annuity in New York State

On Feb. 27, Lincoln Financial Group introduced its first fixed indexed annuity product available in the state of New York, Lincoln OptiChoice NY, issued by Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York. It provides New York-based consumers with a retirement savings vehicle offering wealth preservation with growth potential, and offers consumers several income options, including lifetime income payments. It also includes a nursing home and terminal illness provision, with benefits available after the first contract anniversary.

Clients can allocate premiums between a fixed account, offering a set interest rate for one year, and an indexed account. The indexed account also offers a fixed interest rate as well as the opportunity for additional earnings. The additional earnings amount, determined by a prespecified rate, will be credited to the account at the end of the one-year term depending on the performance of the S&P 500 Index. If the S&P 500 Index value increases or remains level when compared to its beginning value, the client’s account will receive the additional earnings amount. If the S&P value decreases over the one-year term, there are no additional earnings, but the client’s principal and fixed interest rate earnings are preserved. Rates for the fixed and indexed accounts are declared annually.